Fireworks Display Leads to Arrest in Paphos
In a startling turn of events, a 49-year-old man from Paphos found himself in custody following a fireworks display that went awry. The incident, which took place on Wednesday evening, resulted in a fire that scorched the Ha Potami area near Kouklia village. The blaze, which ignited shortly after 8 pm, was finally tamed by the local fire brigade close to midnight.
According to Michalis Nikolaou, the assistant operations director for Paphos police, the man had obtained the necessary licence to set off fireworks from a nearby hotel. Despite following protocol to secure permission, the celebratory act had unintended consequences. Eyewitness accounts pointed to the man’s fireworks as the catalyst for the fire, leading to his arrest on Thursday.
The fire consumed an estimated four to five hectares of grassland and wild vegetation before it was contained. While the flames were extinguished without reports of injury or damage to residential properties, the incident serves as a cautionary tale about the risks associated with fireworks.
The Paphos police are now investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire. The aftermath of this event has sparked a conversation about safety measures and regulations pertaining to fireworks displays in populated areas. As the community begins to recover from the scare, officials are calling for increased vigilance and stricter adherence to safety protocols to prevent future incidents of this nature.
